


The Legend of the Dragon Warriors

by KirbyPaint



Series: Tales of Eldrigar [1]
Category: Pathfinder (RPG), Role-Playing Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-20
Updated: 2015-01-20
Packaged: 2018-03-08 09:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3204479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirbyPaint/pseuds/KirbyPaint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The legend of Azumi Meiyoken, the first Dragon Warrior, and the Dragon Temples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Legend of the Dragon Warriors

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I'm just posting this here so it doesn't clog up my tumblr. Anyone's welcome to read it but it's original, it's not like fandom-derived or anything.

The Legend of the Dragon Warriors

 

            _My name is Yuki Meiyoken, daughter of Kensuke Meiyoken of the Dragon Temples. If my name sounds familiar; it should. My family has long inhabited the Dragon Temples, and my line can be traced back for generations. Today I will tell you the legend of how the first Dragon Warriors were created, and about Azumi, the very first Meiyoken to become a Dragon Warrior. It is up to you whether or not you believe the tale, but I tell it to you as it was told to me, and as it has been told through all the years._

 

            It was during the first global war that the Dragon Temples even came to exist. The invading armies had nearly conquered our lands. Their leaders, Josiah and Eridian, two fighters skilled in the arts of blades, magic, and death, were successful in conquering every territory they dreamed. Josiah’s blades were sharp as a hundred thousand swords and Eridian’s sorcery stripped all hope and life from anyone who dare set an opposing eye to her. They were the strongest couple the world had seen in many years.

 

            When tales of the Gladiator and Sorceress reached our land, we knew we had but a few weeks before they would arrive. The able-bodied took to reinforcing the outer walls, while everyone else hid in the palace. The kingdom’s leader, the lady Azumi Meiyoken, was gracious enough to allow use of her palace, as she knew it was the best guarded and most fortified building for miles. The palace was more than large enough for everyone, and the Lady’s stockpiles of food would have lasted weeks.

 

            However, it turned out that weeks of food were unneeded, as within three days of our receiving the warning, our lands were stormed and laid to ruins. Josiah cut down everyone in his path, including all of the people sent to fortify the wall and anyone who hadn’t yet fled to the palace, and Eridian set herself to decimating the buildings and crops. Once everything was destroyed that could be, they set their eyes on the palace. The townspeople heard the destruction from within the walls and knew it was only a matter of minutes before they, too, met their fate.

 

            Now, the Lady Azumi, though she loved her palace delights and riches, was not an entirely selfish woman. Nor, it turned out, was she a spineless one. With three of her closest guards, she set out to put a stop to the madness once and for all, and save her kingdom. She left the townspeople with the rest of her royal guard, bidding them farewell for now.

 

            It was not hard for Azumi to find her targets. They had carved out a large portion of the palace’s east wall and were standing side-by-side in a near-destroyed hallway. Their dark silhouettes stood in stark contrast against their flaming backdrop – Azumi saw that everywhere there once were buildings… was now nothing more than ashes. No structure had been spared. Even the fortified outer wall was utterly flattened.

 

            And that made Azumi angry. For she liked her property, and took good care of it.

 

            She turned an enraged glare upon the pair of intruders, and with a steely voice commanded them to lay down their arms.

 

            “If you surrender yourselves now, and stop this madness, I will see that your wishes are fulfilled and all of your demands met.”

 

            “Foolish woman,” Josiah laughed, “do you take us for imbeciles? No one would spare us, and I do not believe you to be telling the truth. You would have us dead in an instant.”

 

            Eridian nodded, “You would chain us up for the nations to see, like you did the last two sad attempts at conquerors. And that is not a fate I’d have.”

 

            Well, they were right about all those things. The last times someone had attempted to take her kingdom, Azumi quickly put a stop to their raids, and had they not been destroyed, the skeletons would still be on display a mile out from the front gates. It was also true that Azumi had no intents to allow the two to live, but she thought a bargain was worth a try. She hated to see her people hurt, and would do anything to have her home secure once more. _If it came to a fight, then so be it_ , she resolved.

 

            “If we are not in agreement then I have no choice but to force you to stop this nonsense,” and with that she revealed her sword, no longer concealed in the fabric of her royal dress. With the light of the destroyed city glinting off her blade, she rushed at the two, her guard in pursuit.

 

            And Azumi fought.

 

            She fought for her people, huddled in fear just a few rooms away…

 

            She fought for her honor, having never lost a battle, and not ready to start here…

 

            She fought for her city, laid barren by the terrible duo…

 

            She fought for her namesake, for justice, for peace…

 

            But most importantly…

 

            She fought for herself.

 

            Josiah and Eridian were quite skilled, though, and Azumi found herself quickly outmatched. Her guards were putting up quite the fight, but within five minutes the three were downed. Even her best spell casters could not handle the raw power Eridian wielded, and Azumi’s arms grew weary and her sword grew heavy.

 

            But still she fought. Although the loss of her guard hurt her deeply, she did not let her anguish distract her. Instead, she directed that anger and pain to fuel her fires, and with a swing faster than she’d ever thought her arms possible, she severed the head of Eridian. The Sorceress’ face contorted into confusion before dropping to the ground, where her body fell a second later.

 

            Before Azumi could move one more inch, she felt the point of Josiah’s blade at her backside. How she allowed him to gain the advantage, she had no idea. Perhaps she took a moment too long to witness the Sorceress’ demise. What she did know, though, was that she had failed to protect her people. Even though the sorceress was gone, the madman blade master still breathed. She also knew that he would likely continue to live on, tormenting all the rest of the world, until someone equally as mad or skilled finally ended his reign of terror.

 

            All that she knew in one instant, an instant that ended with the blade sliding deeper into her abdomen, and Josiah’s lips at her ear breathed out the final thing she’d hear him say.

 

            “Any last words, Lady Azumi?”

 

            “You will pay for your crimes,” she gasped – it is hard to speak with a sword through one’s lung – “the dragons do not like their property damaged.” And with that, Josiah thrust the rest of his blade fully through the Lady Azumi’s body, then sliced up through her heart and out her left shoulder.

 

            And Azumi saw darkness.

 

            Then light.

 

            …

 

            …

 

            …it took a few moments, but Azumi understood she had passed on into the afterlife. This lightness that surrounded her was surely her soul’s final resting place. She moved to reach her hand out, to try to touch the light or feel for a wall, but she found she lacked a hand. And a body. This both made sense and terribly confused her, for Azumi had never lacked a body before. But she had felt her body become torn, sliced, she felt the blade cut through her like she was nothing but air. Her body was in the physical world, and her soul was now here…

 

            Right?

 

            _Wrong_ , a voice echoed in her head. Head? Did she have a head still?

 

            _What is happening_ , she thought, and that appeared to be the trick, for a voice thought back.

 

            _You have entered the realm of dragons, Lady Azumi Meiyoken of the Unburnt Palace._ The voice was strong, neither young nor old, male nor female. It was everywhere and nowhere, seemingly coming from all around and yet still from within her. _Very few mortals arrive here, but it appears you have been granted access. Tell me, Azumi Meiyoken, what is it that you did to gain entrance to our realm?_

 

            Azumi thought, _I know not what I have done, for I only served my people as a leader should. I fought to protect them, and I failed. There is no reason for me to be here that I can see._

 

            _Ah, but that is not true. You fought bravely and took the life of one of the tyrants, saving thousands of souls from future demise._

 

            _But the madman still stands, she replied, and there are few who could stop him! My people will surely die!_ With that, she grew heartbroken, and began to weep. Though no tears fell and no sound was emitted, Azumi wept for her people, and her kingdom, and for those already lost to the war, and for those who had yet to meet their fates at the madman’s blade. The Dragon’s presence felt the sorrow in Azumi and saw that she had a fire in her soul unlike any other it had yet felt.

 

            _Do not weep, Azumi Meiyoken, for there is still hope. We can give you a chance to be the warrior your kingdom needs, but there will be a cost. We can give you the fighting skills of old, we can grant you a dragon’s spirit, and with that the strength, courage, and skills of old. However, you, your kingdom, and all descendants of both must answer to no one but us. You must follow no other gods, nor rulers, and in return our spirit will reside in your lineage forever._

_Or, should you deny this gift, we can instead carry your soul to the realm of the dead, where you will spend your afterlife waiting to be reborn onto the planet once more._

_Your soul cannot, however, remain here, for this is the Realm of Dragons, not mortals._

 

            Azumi pondered this decision. She did miss her old family terribly, and she knew the mortal afterlife would be an eternity in contentment, comfort, and happiness. She would have a great time there, and one day, she would once again walk on the planet.

 

            But she knew that to be the wrong choice the moment she considered it. She had a duty to fulfill to her people and there was no way she would let them fall to Josiah’s blade if she could help it. And with the aid of the Dragon Spirits themselves, there was surely no way she would fail. To honor them for generations was not a terrible price to pay for the gift of her peoples’ lives …she knew that this chance to make a difference was a true blessing.

 

            _Dragon Spirit, I choose to return fight Josiah the Madman, to serve you and your kind, and to save my people, so they can rebuild and live happy lives._

 

            _Then that is what will be done, great Dragon Warrior Azumi Meiyoken of the Unburnt Palace,_ it responded, and Azumi felt the world come back to her in stunning colors. Everything was more vivid than before. Her hearing was keener, her eyesight as though she wore focusing lenses… and the blood… the rich metallic blood coming from the Sorceress’ body filled her nose and she thought of her people. She knew that she only had moments before Josiah would reach her throne room, if he wasn’t there already, and the thought of her people perishing at his blade filled her with an anger so great she felt she couldn’t contain it.

 

Azumi felt the fires of passion fill her body…

 

She tilted her head back…

 

            And Azumi _roared_! She let out an echoing roar so great the stone ceiling above her cracked, and from her mouth came bright red flames so intense they melted the ceiling back together.

 

            She ran so fast through her palace that she nearly flew, and when she entered her throne room she witnessed her remaining guard trying to fight off Josiah’s blade. Five of her soldiers had already fallen, and a sixth was losing. Josiah moved in for the kill, thrusting his sword at the guard’s neck, but just before the sword could make contact, Azumi lifted a clawed hand… and the madman was frozen in his tracks, completely unable to move. The lone guard opened her eyes, and, realizing she was not currently dead on the ground, proceeded to figure out why. So did every other person in the room. Hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to face their once-slain leader as she walked towards their former assailant. Her hand remained raised and she slowly pulled the petrified Josiah toward her until they met in the middle of the room.

 

            The Azumi standing before her people was a far different Azumi than the one who had left them minutes before. The Lady Azumi left with her traditional robes and neat composure. The Azumi here now appeared ravaged by torment and doom. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair was tangled and loosened from her traditional up-do, and her sword was nowhere to be seen. Her make-up ran all down her face, as if she was trying to remove it simply by sweating, and her skin was covered in blood. _Whose blood was it though?_ Azumi’s dress was halfway off of her body, sliced upward from her lower gut. A large, _noticeably_ _very-fresh_ scar ran vertically up her body, up her chest, ending at her shoulder. That was where Josiah had said he’d cut her… dealt the killing blow… It appeared the madman had not lied when he told of their Lady’s demise, though it looked now that he was less right about her fate than he thought.

 

            Azumi spun Josiah around with a wave of her scaled hand, spinning him to face her. She forcefully dropped him to the ground and nearly shattered his legs in the process. He groaned, kneeling, before he gathered the strength to face her. The instant his eyes met hers, she spoke.

 

            “ ** _FOR TOO LONG YOU HAVE TORMENTED THESE PEOPLE, JOSIAH THE MADMAN, AND NOW THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE THEIR JUSTICE_!** ” Azumi’s words boomed throughout the room and every person in it was shaken to their core. The weight of the words lay thick in the air, and if not for the fact that they could hear fire burning outside, the people were sure they’d gone deaf from the sheer intensity. Although Azumi’s voice was powerful, it was not hers alone. Alongside her voice were the voices of every single person slaughtered by Josiah, as well as another, noticeably less human voice. With her lone sentence was Josiah’s own.

 

            _Death._

 

            Every person in the room witnessed the slaughter of Josiah the Madman. As her words resonated within the room, his face paled whiter than the most elegant porcelain, and his blade dropped from his hand. The _tink_ of the sword hitting the ground seemed to last an eternity, and yet that still was not long enough for the people to realize what had happened.

 

Once his sword stopped moving, Azumi summoned hers. It appeared in her hand in an instant, a loud crack signifying its arrival. Her sword’s blade became fire, bursting into a bright red flame, the same as the one she had breathed, and the hilt’s decorations cracked and darkened and peeled apart, leaving the hilt barren and blacker than the charred ruins of the surrounding city. Her eyes began to glow brighter than the stars, and torrential gusts of wind billowed around the woman Josiah had just murdered a few minutes before. A magnificent pair of wings sprouted from Azumi’s back, leaving her looking fiercer and more powerful than ever before. The people had never seen such a fury on their Lady’s face, but they knew it was well-deserved.

 

            Azumi swung her blade faster than anyone thought physically possible, cutting cleanly and precisely (much like Josiah had done to her), her sword’s fire utterly obliterating the man standing before her. In four seconds the body of the madman was reduced to a pile of ash, and the Dragon’s Fire had torn his soul to pieces.

 

Josiah the Madman was completely ended. His war, body, soul… all of it ended at the hand of Dragon Warrior Azumi Meiyoken of the Unburnt Palace.

 

When Azumi finished destroying the madman, she extinguished the sword, leaving only the black obsidian hilt. Her eyes no longer glowed, her hands declawed, and the scales receded back into her flesh. She crossed her throne room and sat on the seat of her former throne, watching the stunned and horrified faces of her people follow her every move. Azumi then spoke, this time in her voice alone.

 

“Do not fear any longer, my people. The Madman and the Sorceress are dead. Our city is ravaged, but we shall soon rebuild, stronger than ever. We will rise from the ashes as the phoenix does and build ourselves anew, with the help of the dragons.”

 

One merchant spoke up, his voice shaky yet still legible. “What do you mean, Lady Azumi? Our homes are destroyed? What can we build back?”

 

            “I will travel to our sister kingdoms and plead for aid and assistance, promising my fortune as payment if necessary, and notify them and the country that Josiah and Eridian have fallen at my hand. I am confident that knowledge alone will be enough to help us rebuild, but money is never a bad backup plan. In the meantime, you all are free to remain here, in the safety of my palace, living off the remaining stored goods until I return.”

 

            The merchant spoke again, “For how long will you be absent, my Lady?”

 

            Azumi flexed her wings, then laughed. “Considering my newfound gifts, I presume I will make the trip in less than the standard few weeks. I foresee my absence as being no longer than three days. Four, if the wind is harsh,” she chuckled.

 

            “Then who will guard the kingdom in your stead, my Lady?” the merchant asked.

 

            Lady Azumi was about to respond, but a voice interrupted hers. It was the same voice that she heard in the Dragon Realm, the one of the Timeless Dragon. Though the Timeless Dragon had no physical form, its presence was felt through the room, including Azumi. Though everyone felt awe and fear in its presence, Azumi felt more at home than ever before.

 

            “We will provide your land with security for as long as Dragon Warrior Azumi is absent,” the Timeless Dragon responded. “Under our guard there will be no invaders, whether from the war or otherwise, and anyone sympathetic to Josiah’s and Eridian’s cause will feel our fiery wrath. Do not be afraid.”

 

            A feeling of calm rushed throughout the room, much like a breath of cool air, and the people realized that the war was truly over. The merchant stood first, clapping for Lady – no, _Dragon Warrior_ Azumi and her victorious triumph over the enemies. A few more people stood, then the entire palace hall was filled with resounding cheers for their hero and savior. Tears sprung to Azumi’s eyes and she smiled, overwhelmed with joy that she could save her people, and that her people were so grateful for her in return.

 

            True to her word, Azumi was only gone three days, and in her absence there were indeed no invasions of any kind; even though the battles still raged around them, the city was untouched. Her message of aid and of Josiah’s and Eridian’s deaths were well-received, and within a week, the city had begun to rebuild. Within two weeks the war was over, and anyone caught fighting on Josiah’s side was pardoned, imprisoned or immediately executed, depending on their level of involvement in the war and willingness to fight.

 

            None of the leaders Azumi visited commented on her wings. They felt that, in light of recent events, namely the murders of the two most dangerous war criminals, perhaps it was best to accept some things at face value.

 

            When Azumi returned, one of the Dragon Guardians met with her and presented her with an exquisite set of armor. It was made of hardened obsidian and bordered with the most brilliant red steel, a steel rumored to have been what we know as Chthonic Steel, or Dragon Steel. Her sword, the one she used to slay the Madman, was also re-fashioned to match her armor, with the hilt made of obsidian and Dragon Steel. The Dragon Steel blade gleamed brightly in the sunlight, reflecting brilliant oranges and reds, and if Azumi willed it, it would alight in crimson flames just as it had that fateful day.

 

            Perhaps the greatest piece, though, was the helmet. It was a full helmet, modeled after the head of a dragon, and it was carved so perfectly no human could ever hope to accomplish something this great. Azumi secretly hoped this armor would never chip, though she strongly suspected a gift from the dragons would more than easily take anything a mortal could throw at her.

 

            “We present you with these gifts in the hope that they will serve you for the rest of your mortal days. We would hate to see someone so promising struck down by someone less than worthy. Wear these gifts with honor and you will succeed in everything you do.” And with that, the Dragon Guards returned to their realm.

 

            True to their word, the Dragon Armor stayed strong, even in battle, which Azumi was frequently at the forefront of in her later years. Though she saw a time of peace after that Great War, it was rather short-lived, and she once again found herself defending her city to great success. No one took the kingdom again so long as Dragon Warrior Azumi Meiyoken was reigning.

 

            But it was during that short time of piece that Azumi had her happiest years, brought on by a marriage and her heir. Yes, she soon found a husband, a man she met while rebuilding her kingdom, and they quickly fell in love. After two years together, her first-born son arrived. His name was Senshi Meiyoken, and his birth marked the coming of a new age.      

 

The child was named Senshi Meiyoken and he grew strong and sure, just as his mother hoped. Within two years of his birth, the city was completely rebuilt, and using the funds from Azumi’s palace, it became stronger than ever. With Azumi’s palace finally running out of funds, and with it constantly standing as a reminder of the Day of the Madman, the kingdom agreed it should be removed. Azumi decided that the place where the palace once stood should instead become a place of peace, and thus the Dragon Temples were created. Two temples were built in the palace’s place – one became a monastery where all who wished to learn the ways of peace and harmony would have a safe space to do so. Many citizens ended up leaving their homes for the monastery, and a residential building was eventually added to the temple so those who wished to live there could do so without being cramped.

 

            The other temple became the temple where future Dragon Warriors would train. The city, though in peace after the war was brought to an end, knew that they must still have a way to defend themselves from future massacres. They trained in the arts of fighting and defense, taught by Dragon Warrior Azumi herself, and anyone who wished to fight need only bring their willing mind and body. The arts learned at the temple were mostly based on blade fighting, as that was what Azumi used to take down the Madman, though it was not uncommon for students to learn other types of weapons.

 

            Dragon Lord Senshi grew to become a strong and fair ruler, and he too became a skilled defender of the city. Under his rule, the kingdom grew strong, becoming one of the strongest lands on the continent. No army dared attempt to conquer his land, as they feared the dragons’ protection and did not want to risk their wrath as Josiah had years before. Senshi, too, found love, and he and his wife had many heirs. And to this day the Meiyoken line runs wide, the spirit of the dragons (though now diluted after many generations) running in every last one.

 

            _And this is the legend of the first Dragon Warrior, Lady Azumi Meiyoken. Though the tale may seem incredible, I tell it as I have heard it told to me, and I believe it to be true. Josiah and Eridian were truly fearsome people, and the dragons possess untold power. I know that in our time of need, the dragons gifted us with a great warrior, and Dragon Warrior Azumi proved herself the worthy champion._


End file.
